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Robert Donnell Bone (1832-1892) was born in Wilson County, Tennessee, and came to Nacogdoches County in 1841 with his mother and stepfather. He and his brothers and sister moved in with his older sister when she married John Winstead Paine in 1846. After a serious illness of pneumonia, R. D. Bone rode horseback to Tennessee and entered the University at Nashville Medical School (which later became Vanderbilt University) in 1854 and returned to Douglass, Texas, to practice medicine after graduating in 1858. That same year he married Griselda Minerva Burk (1841-1912) who was also from Tennessee and had moved to Nacogdoches County, Texas, with her family in 1848. On November 25, 1861, Dr. Bone was appointed to serve as Assistant Surgeon of the 12th Texas Volunteer Infantry, Col. Overton Young's Regiment at Camp Hebert, Hempstead, Austin County, Texas. He felt it was his duty to serve the cause of the Confederacy and eagerly attended his post. As revealed in the following letters exchanged with his wife while on active duty in the Civil War, it soon became clear that he would have to contend with inadequate provisions, boring camp routine and confusing orders. "The Fever", dysentery, measles and exposure were Dr. Bone's patients' main medical problems; his regiment was not involved in any serious fighting. When he resigned his commission on March 7, 1863, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he went back to Douglass, Texas, to practice medicine. Dr. Bone also bought cotton and cattle and took them to New Orleans each fall to be sold. Minerva was Post Mistress in Douglass from 1866-1867. Only six of the Bone's 12 children reached adulthood, and two of their sons graduated from the University at Nashville Medical School exactly 50 years after Dr. Bone did. At least eight of his descendants have followed him in serving the medical profession. (Aiken, Roy L. (Pete). "Bone Family." In Nacogdoches County Families, 172. Dallas, Tx.: Curtis Media Corporation, 1985.)

Scope and Content Note

Included in the collection of letters between Dr. Bone and Minerva are letters to the Bones from family and friends, report forms from the post office at Douglass, and two poems (probably written by Dr. Bone). Typescripts for most of the papers in the collection are in a booklet in Box 2. Several 19th century newspapers belonging to Dr. Bone are cataloged and shelved with the newspaper bundles.

September the 8, 1862
Dear Son I have heard nothing from you lately, but as H. Wade is going to start in the morning I will try to write a few lines, although my time is verry [sic] short as he is waiting, Elace [sic] Ingraham had just finished writing her letter at play time to her brother we are all well as common; but waiting anxiously for Foster and george [sic] to come home we have been looking for them for two or three weeks, but no word from them since Dr. Richardson got home, he said he left them at Thomas Loyds in Ark (illegible) far from Denton (county Laline [sic]) this side of Little Rock; they Both had been verry [sic] low but was mending, he thought that george [sic] would get a discharge, the Dr. got a furlough for sixty days he said he told george [sic] and Foster to get a little carriage to come home in; as they ware v not able to come on horse back for some time; we hear nothing about them, if you should get this letter before you get therer I wish you maybe would some enquirry [sic] about them; Minerva and Winstead [sic] was well when I heard from last Isaac and Mary is here he is helping to gather our corne [sic], Minerva will write you pect [sic] more to you then I posible [sic] can, is so short a time your Brother Sam was here last night, his company had orders to start next Saturday, for head quarters I think in Milam County, his chance in mighty bad to leave, Bab [sic] I want you if you ever get any where near to Eliper [sic] that you would go to see him, or try to write him, and let him know that we want him to come here if he can with his children, if you can hear from him I want you to write to us and let us know where he is, or what he is doing; Mr. Hill says to tell you that he is still makeing [sic] slegs [sic], and wants you to write to him at every opportunity, my Dear Son I want you to try to live, and content yourself, in this life so that you when you come to die will have nothing to do but to die. We have but little appearance at present of any thing but hard times we will have to submit to our fates I expect that you can hear as much news as we can; I will have to quit write as soon as you can, give me all the news I do not know whether I will ever see you again or not, but if I never do I pray god to have mercy on you, and all the rest,
R. D. Bone Levicey [sic] Hill

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